Tube trains will run later at weekends

The London Underground is to run later on Friday and Saturday nights in response to demand from late-night revellers, London mayor Ken Livingstone said yesterday.

He said that from May next year last tube trains would leave central London stations at about 1am instead of the present 12.30am. To allow time for maintenance, services will begin an hour later on Saturdays.

The changes will be introduced despite objections from airlines with early flights from Heathrow and from cleaners and other workers who make up a large proportion of early morning passengers at weekends.